About This PhD Project

Project Description

Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs) are common to almost all current and emerging solar cell technologies and there is still a huge scope for investigation of novel doping routes to find opto-electronically superior TCO films that can boost solar cell efficiency.

This project will focus on the development of rapid fabrication and characterisation strategies that can quickly identify and optimize novel dopants for TCOs. Successful strategies will be used to generate films that can be incorporated into existing solar cell device platforms at Liverpool in an effort to increase solar conversion efficiencies. Significant emphasis will also be placed on developing a deeper fundamental analysis of the opto-electronic behaviour and transport phenomena in TCO materials.

The project will incorporate a "mini-project" in partnership with SemiMetrics Ltd to develop advanced electrical characterisation equipment for semiconductor thin-films.

This studentship is funded by the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in New and Sustainable Photovoltaics. The CDT is a multi-centre team composed of seven universities that will provide dedicated training in PV to train highly-skilled students capable of transforming state-of-the art research and development across the sustainable energy and PV sectors. For more information see the CDT website

Before applying for this studentship please read the eligibility criteria at http://cdt-pv.org/eligibility.php

For more details contact Rob Treharne (R.Treharne@liverpool.ac.uk)

To apply, please complete the online application form that is available at https://www.liv.ac.uk/physics/postgraduate/postgraduate-research/physics-mphil-phd/applying/